Bridging for joists



Nav. 12, 1929. w. E. wHrrE 1,735,590

BRIDGING FOR JOISTS Filed Dec. 5. 1928 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Pawn No. 1,135.5am.v Granted November l2. 1929, o

WILLIAM E; WHITE:

lt is hareby certified that error appears in the nhoye numbered patentrequiring correction asfollows: The present drawing should be canceledand the drawing containing two figures as shown below should be insertedtherfor ls plrt ul the Letters Patent;

Nov, 12, 1929, y 1,735,590

v w. E. WHITE Filed Dec. 5. 1928 ,1 "wird of the casa in the Paten!Office' rrectlon therein that ille same muy conform to the i Signed andsealed thisoth day of December, A. D. 1929.

and that the said Letters Patent should ha read with this co hi. 5.Moore,

Acfino Cnmmiuinnu ..5 mu-.-

l Patented Nov. 12, 1929 and yand flanges UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICEWILLIAM E. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KALMLAN STEELCOMP-ANY,

or carcasa, rumors, a CORPORATION or DELAWARE namento ron. :rozs'rsApplication led December 5, 1928. Serial No. 323,898.

My invention relates to bridging for joists beams and particularly to animprovement on the construction shown inmy pending applications Ser. No.312,324 filed October 13, 1928, Serial No. 323,897, filed December 5,1928, and Ser. No. 328,898, filed December 28, 1928.

An object of the present construction is to provide a combined bridgingunit in which a single element absorbs both tension and compressionstresses. An element that will absorb the compression stresses ymust lofnecessity be rigid and not easily bent, and such an element does not,therefore, readily adapt itself to attachment to the joists. I have combined with the compression strut, an attaching clip composed of adifferent type of element, preferably one constructed of heavy wirehaving some resiliency.

The clip element is preferably arranged to be readily attached to thestrut in the field, in order that the struts packed and-shippedseparately. V

The construction also includes numerous other features of importancewhich will be described in connection with the accompanying explanation.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, withthebeams in section, of an assembly such as contemplated by me; and c lFig. 2 is a perspective view-of a unit, two

of which are employed in the assembly.

I have shown two beams or joists A-B which may be part of a series usedfor supporting a floor. These may consist of ordinary rolled flangedshapes or of trussed shapes. I

The bridgingof -my invention comprises a pair of combined units arranged.in d lagonally disposed relation as shown `1n F1g. 41, one of saidunits being now described in detail.

The compression strut is a rigid member. preferably of channel formhavin a web 10 11. At both ends t e web is :notched as at 12-13, thenotches being shaped In the drawings 'to permit engagement with the'flanges ofthe and clips may be Y flangel width, the dimensions will besuch respective beams A-B. The web of the strut 1s provided withrelatively large apertures 14-15 located on the center line at a pointdirectly in the rear of the bottom ofthe notches 12--13. These strutswill be constructed in the shop and the length will be exactly that reuired to span the diagonal space between t e upper flange of one joistand the lower flange of properly spaced ad? ]acent joists. l

If the channel is of uniform section, the neutral axis olf-center ofgravity of the section is at the center 'and the inner edge of the notchterminates at this point; thusthe .compression load is appliedconcentrically. Likewise, the punched holes for the reception ofthehooks are located at the center and this location insures concentricapplication of the tension stresses.

As an attaching means, I provide clips preferably composed of heavy wireand cornprising a length of material bent into U shape, the legs 16-17being slightly fiared and terminating in the hooks 18-19 adapted toengage over the flanges of the joist. To facili# tate engagement, theterminal portions 20--21 of the hooks are rebent to rovide an inclinedsurface that will engage t e edge of the flan e.

The c ips are so constructed that they may readily be causedto engagewith the vapertures in the struts by a simple movement, the finalposition being that shown in the draw. ings. The clips being designedfor a specific that a thoroughly firm and rigid connection will result.

The application' of the .bridging element is made by applying the clipsin position on the strut, then engaging the clip on the lower endof thestrut with the flange of the joist with the strut in the position shownin dotted lines. in Fig. 1. With the arts properly designed, theconnection wil-l' e fairly rigid with Athe l parts in that position.Thereafter the oper ator will swing the free end of the strut laterallyto avoid interference with the joistB and will then forcibly lift: it toa point-where the notch 12 is opposite the edge of the up' r fiange of.the strut B. He Awill 'ithen swing? 10%;

tion against removalvwithout distortion of the clip. A The operation ofoscillating the strut from the dotted line to the full line positionwill place the clip at the lower end under eX-V treme tension and avoidany ossible looseness. The flare ofthe legs of) the clip provide forslight inaccuracies in dimensions; a slight initial bow in the wire ofthe legs l6-17 may also be utilixzed to compensate for such variations.

In cases where accidental spacings of the joists occur, variations arenecessary only in.

the length of the struts and this is accomplished by providing Aaquantlty of extralength struts notched and apertured at one end andplain at the opposite end. A simple hand-operated tool may be used forcutting off, notching and aperturing the oppos1te end to the requiredlength. t

Bridging elements such as described ma be very simply and economicallyinstalle They consist of a minimum number of parts and combine thefunctions of a more intricate system in a simple and economical manner.

Variations in the form and arrangement of the arts may be made withoutdeparture from tlie spirit of my invention, and I do not wish to belimited except as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In bridging for spaced joists, the combination 'of an inherentlyrigid strut adapted to extend between the flanges of said joists, andseparate hooks attached to the ends of the strut and adapted to engageover the lsaid flanges. i

2. In'bridging for beams, the combination or" a rigid strut, and hookshingedly connected to the ends of the strut. 3. In bridging for beams,the combination of a rigid strut, of angular cross section, and hookshingedly connected to the ends of the strut. v

4. In bridging for beams, the combination vof a rigid strut, and wirehooks connected tothe ends of the strut.

5. In bridging for beams, the combination of a rigid strut and wiremembers connected to "the ends of the strut, and adapted to be fastenedaround the flanges of the beams.

6. In bridging for beams, the combination of a rigid strut havingnotched ends, and wires connected to the ends and adapted to serve asmeans of attachment of the struts to said beams. v

7. In bridging for flanged joists, the combination of a strut havingnotches in its ends adapted yto engage flanges of said joists, and wirehooks connected to-said strut and adapted to connect the strut to saidjoists".

8. In combination, a rigid strut4 havin notches in its ends, saidnotches being adapte to engage the`l edges of the flanges of joists, andmeans hingedly connected to the ends of the strut adapted to engage overthe joist flanges to provide a tension connection between adjacentjoists.

9. In combination, a rigid strut having notches in its ends, saidnotches being adapted to engage the edges of the flanges of joists, andhooks hinged to the ends of the struts and adapted to engage over thejoist flanges.

10. The combination with a pair. of joists of a rigid strut the endsofwhich are in abutting engagement with the flanges of said j oists toresist compression stresses, and hooks hinged to the ends of the strutsand engaging.

over the joist flanges and adapted to receive tension stresses andtransmit the same to said struts. i

11. The combination with a pair of joists of a rigid strut, means forconnecting said strut to the chord of one joist with capacity to receiveand transmit compression and tension stresses, the opposite end of saidstrut having abutting engagement with a flange of an adjacent joist, anda wire hook pivotally mounted at said opposite end with capacity forsnap-on engagement with the opposite edge of the joist flange that isengaged by the abutting end of the strut.

12. In combination, a rigid strut the ends of which are adapted forabutting engagement with the inside edges of the flanges of adjacentspaced joists, 'and wire hooks hingedly connected to the ends of saidstrut, said hooks being adapted for snap-on engagement with the outsideedges of the said joist flanges.-

13. In' combination, a rigid strut having a flange and web, the end ofthe web having a notch the inner end of which terminates atsubstantially the neutral axis of the section ofl the strut, and a hookhaving a pivotal connection with the strut at substantially the neutralaxis of the section.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature. WILLIAM E. WHITE.

